LESSER REDPOLE. 567 
son, it is a permanent resident in the Fur Countries of 
North America, where it may be seen in the coldest wea- 
ther on the banks of lakes and rivers, hopping among the 
reeds and carices, or clinging to their stalks. Although 
numerous throughout the year, even in the most northern 
districts, a partial southern migration takes place. Mr. 
Audubon says, “ They are abundant every cold winter in 
the northern parts of Massachusets and Maine, as well as 
in all the British provinces. Large flocks visit Pennsyl- 
vania for a month or two in severe winters.” The Lesser 
Redpole in Europe goes as far south as Rome and Sicily 
in winter. Eastward from Norway, this bird is found in 
Siberia; and, according to M. Temminck, in Japan. 
The beak is brown, the under mandible pale brown ; 
the irides dusky brown; forehead deep red; the head, 
neck, back, wing-coverts, rump, and upper tail-coverts, a 
mixture of dark and light brown, the centre of each fea- 
ther being darkest; the outer feather only of the small 
wing-coverts tipped with wood-brewn; all the feathers 
of the greater coverts tipped with pale brown, forming one 
conspicuous bar; quill-feathers brownish black, the pri- 
maries with a very narrow edge, and the tertials with 
broader edges of pale wood-brown; tail-feathers not so 
deeply forked, or near so long as those of the Mealy Red- 
pole, but similar in colour; chin with a patch of black ; 
cheeks, sides of the neck, sides of the breast and flanks, 
with dark brown streaks on pale brown; the breast 
strongly marked with vermilion red; belly and under 
tail-coverts dull brownish white; legs, toes, and claws, 
brown. 
The whole length four inches and one quarter. From 
the carpal joint to the end of the wing, two inches and 
five-eighths ; the first three quill-feathers nearly equal in 
